5 Signs That You Might Need a Knee Replacement

Knee replacement procedures can help restore your mobility and reduce pain. Knee replacement surgery is known as one of the most successful surgical procedures in the field of medicine. This procedure is extremely common, with more than 790,000 knee replacements performed yearly in America. Complete knee replacement installs metal pieces to recreate a joint's surface with a plastic separator in between and the possibility of plastic resurfacing inside of your kneecap.

Though you will likely need some assistance afterward, it is customary to begin walking the same day or the day following your surgery. This procedure is highly effective, and it is estimated that 90% of knee replacements still perform well 15 years following surgery. Deciding to have a knee replacement performed is a personal decision between you and your orthopedic surgeon in Deland, but many factors make you a likely candidate for surgical intervention.

You have severe arthritis.

Most individuals who choose to have knee replacement are either experiencing rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, or post-injury arthritis. These different types of arthritis affect your knee in different ways but are all similar in the resulting loss of cartilage, which causes loss of motion and extreme pain. When these symptoms are severe, knee replacement surgery can provide an exceptional level of symptom relief by replacing your knee's worn-out surfaces.

Non-surgical treatments are not effective.

In most cases of knee arthritis, patients typically start with conservative measures like physical therapy, steroid injections, or medications to alleviate the symptoms. But in many cases, these interventions may not continue to be enough. These are temporary measures for providing you pain relief but cannot reverse underlying causes of pain or allow your cartilage regeneration. With time, arthritic conditions continue to progress in severity and make these treatments less effective. At this point, surgical intervention may be the best option available.

Your pain prevents you from caring for yourself or doing everyday activities.

When you cannot get pain relief from other treatment options, it may start to interfere with your day-to-day life. In general, a total knee replacement's timing is often determined by your knee's impact on your daily life. For example, if you have extreme pain when walking and conservative treatments are no longer working, you are likely a great candidate for total knee replacement.

You can't sleep and have severe pain, even when you rest.

You may also be a good candidate for knee replacement if you have pain while resting that does not respond to other treatment measures. Experiencing constant pain throughout the night can be highly debilitating.

Your knee is constantly swollen.

Consistent swelling signals that your knee is not responding well to conservative treatments. If your knee is constantly swollen, despite the use of physical therapy, steroid injections, and anti-inflammatory medications, this suggests that the instability or cartilage in your knee is degenerating and can be confirmed through the use of an x-ray. If this is a problem in your life, you are likely a candidate for a total knee replacement.

These are just a few of the signs that you may qualify for knee replacement surgery. An orthopedic surgeon in Deland can help you determine if surgery is the best choice for treatment. Contact us today for further information.